The Trump administration is advising European countries to enhance their travel restrictions on individuals arriving from regions affected by Ebola in Africa. They have indicated that a lack of action on this matter may lead to the United States implementing more stringent travel regulations for travellers from Europe, with implications for major events such as the World Cup soccer tournament.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to articulate these concerns and discuss coordinated efforts between the US and Europe in response to the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, as outlined by the State Department.
“The department’s highest priority and focus remains protecting the health of the American people and preventing this Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores,” it said.
A State Department official recently expressed that the United States has made significant efforts to address the ongoing outbreak and emphasised the need for a coordinated global response. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation between Rubio and European Commission President von der Leyen, highlighted the urgency for international action, cautioning that inaction could adversely affect transatlantic travel. The US is advocating for financial contributions to combat the disease and reasonable travel restrictions from the affected regions.
As a key context, the World Cup tournament is set to commence this Thursday in Mexico and run for nearly six weeks, with the majority of matches hosted in the United States. The Trump administration has implemented a travel ban on individuals who have been in any of the affected countries within the past three weeks, and established quarantine protocols for American citizens returning from those regions.
While there are relatively few direct flights from Africa to the United States, there are over 300 direct flights daily from Europe. Since the outbreak was first confirmed last month, the United States has contributed more than $200 million to efforts to curb the disease in Congo and Uganda.
In a complementary effort, the European Union announced an increase in its Ebola response funding by €16.5 million, in addition to the €15 million allocated last month.
The European Union delegation in Washington has yet to respond to Rubio’s discussion with President von der Leyen. During recent congressional hearings, Democrats raised concerns about the implications of dismantling the US Agency for International Development for the Ebola response. In defence, Rubio stated that early-detection programmes have been integrated into health agreements with African countries, asserting that the US response has been prompt and effective.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
